


Nostalgia

by LavenderWine



Series: Vicious [2]
Category: Ebon Light (Visual Novel)
Genre: Bickering, But so is Riala, F/M, Laceaga is a little shit, Training, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:27:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21666679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LavenderWine/pseuds/LavenderWine
Summary: Laceaga is being insufferable as usual. But this time Riala is ready to get him back with a nice little gift. "For old time's sake."
Relationships: Laceaga Darhal/Alenca Goffil | Main Character
Series: Vicious [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1562023
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	Nostalgia

“Get up.”

Laceaga’s eyes were sharp, piercing even, as he stared down at Riala. Every part of her hurt, it seemed and the scout had only made it worse after knocking her down for the umpteenth time. She was soaked to the bone from the rain, her fiery braided hair a mess, locks plastered to her face and she was cold. Dirt and mud streaked her clothes and random places on her skin from her training session. A growl rumbled in the back of her throat, tired hands fisting on top of the grass. Rain hammered at her shoulders and she squinted a glare at him through the rain, rivulets racing down her throat.

Laceaga arched a brow at her silence, “How do you plan on beating me from the ground?”

Riala fumed, tried to reach within herself to summon up the Cuthintal but all she was met with was a hissed ‘weakling’. Frustrated, tired, wet and aching, she let out a snarl of anger. How was she supposed to do _any_ of this when the very thing meant to make her powerful **wouldn’t listen**? She was supposed to be the up and coming Gha'alian super power and she could barely manage anything! Not even to drag Laceaga down a few pegs. A feat she was most certainly not capable of on her own yet to her chagrin.

She glared, “You know that I can’t beat you without the Cuthintal.”

He looked infuriatingly smug at that, “Then summon it.”

“I’m. Trying.”

Laceaga hooded his eyes, “Try harder.”

Blood roared in her ears, her skin **burning** with rage. Riala didn’t remember standing up when she found herself suddenly on her feet. The fury and frustration boiled over until it was bursting out of her. Purple hazed around her before surging forward, violently. Laceaga barely had enough time to dodge.

Her anger evaporated into horror when the trunk of a nearby tree _shattered_ from the force of her attack. The wood groaned loudly from the abuse, sluggishly tilting to the side until it crashed to the ground. Silence. Riala stared at the leaves falling, descending rapidly to the earth, forgetting about her rain glazed skin and wild, messy hair. She forgot about the deep ache in her muscles and her throbbing bruises. Forgot about her anger at him and the mud streaking her skin.

‘I could have…’ she thought distantly.

Green eyes drifted slowly towards Laceaga. Light brown, golden she noted, gleamed back at her. Excitement and fascination radiated off of him in waves. A corner of his mouth twitched upwards, leaving her a lopsided smirk. He started towards her, steps slow and confident.

“Very good.” He said silkily.

Riala couldn’t find it in herself to be angry at him. All she could manage was a wide-eyed stare at him as he advanced forward, her mind locked on how close she came to killing him. She found herself taking a few steps back, afraid to try attacking again.

“H-how can you be excited about this?!” she sputtered, “I-I could have…”

“Killed me?”

At her hesitation, he surged forward and she found herself thrust against a nearby tree. Laceaga carefully pressed his dagger to her throat, the steel cold and biting against her skin. He leaned in, the smirk on his lips widening. Riala’s breath hitched in her throat, her pulse fluttering against the edge of the blade.

“But you didn’t…” He whispered.

He was so close. Close enough that she could count his eyelashes. Golden eyes bore into her emerald ones before they lowered to stare at her mouth. Riala instinctively licked her lips and swallowed the lump in her throat, heart thundering in her chest. This was worse than when he had helped her with her bow. The nearness, the soaked skin, the way her clothes clung to her frame made her feel almost like an exposed nerve.

“I...uh…”

He chuckled at her stuttering, “Were you worried about me, Rabbit?”

The cocky tilt on his lips made her bristle, “No.”

A lie. Riala harbored some resentment for his treatment of her when he had kidnapped her but she didn’t want him to die. But if the expression on Laceaga’s face told her anything, it was that he didn’t believe her. And she was certain he was going to say something else so she didn’t give him the chance.

“Not in the way you are imagining.” she amended quickly.

Laceaga hooded his eyes again, “And in what way were you worried about me?” 

She made a disgusted noise at him. He wasn’t supposed to ask her questions! Riala felt her patience with him thinning rapidly but he still watched her expectantly. A growl escaped her which only seemed to amuse him further.

“Just get off of me!”

Laceaga pressed harder against her, still mindful that he didn’t cut her. She didn’t think he could look more smug and satisfied with himself if he tried. The scout showed her a flash of his teeth in a grin. A grin that made her blood boil and gave her the burning desire to try and wipe the confident grin off of his face. Insufferable elf.

“Make me.” he replied simply.

She briefly considered trying to use the Cuthintal again but the sight of the shattered trunk and fallen tree was enough to make her hesitate. Did that happen because she lost her temper? Or would it have happened regardless for trying to use it?

Laceaga clicked his tongue, “Come on, Rabbit. Make me let you go.”

“You are such a-”

“You asked for me to help you.” he interrupted, “This is me helping you, don’t expect me to hold your hand.”

‘And what a mistake that was asking you for help.’ She thought wryly.

Riala considered her options. Laceaga infuriated her but she really didn’t want to kill him or seriously hurt him. That was when a thought came to her, summoning a grin to her lips. He arched a brow at her sudden grin but did not look away.

“And what are you going to do if I don’t? You can’t kill or seriously hurt me or you will risk Duliae’s wrath. So what can you even do?”

For a moment she thought she had him and pride welled up within her. Then it vanished when he gave Riala a _devious_ smirk. She realized then that she had made a mistake.

“So bold…” he purred, “You think yourself safe from me?”

Laceaga drew even closer, staring intently at her rain soaked face. A brief moment of panic gripped her before she lashed out. A cloud of purple smashed into the scout and sent him flying away from her. Satisfaction filled her when he crashed into a tree. He climbed to his feet, groaning and clutching his back.

“Bold of you to assume you are safe from **me**.” Riala parroted at him.

The elf laughed softly, “So the Rabbit DOES have teeth. I was beginning to think that I was helping a weak little human girl.”

“Ugh!” She threw her hands into the air, “I’m going back to Duliae’s! You can stay out here in the rain for all I care!”

He followed after her with a chuckle.

xxx

A few weeks later, Riala had made arrangements with Duliae to obtain a certain item that she wanted to gift to Laceaga for the hell he had given her. It was surprisingly easy, especially with the Chandler’s help. All she had to do was wait for Laceaga to come back to the mansion and then she could give him her “gift”.

xxx

“ _Lacey_.” she chirped with saccharine sweetness.

“Rabbit.”

He studied her closely, arching a skeptical brow at her tone. Riala had caught him in the foyer on his way out, which was the perfect time. The red-head flashed him a bright smile before handing him the box she had stashed her present in. Both of his brows raised in surprise.

“What’s this?”

“A gift. For old time’s sake.”

Golden eyes narrowed at her in suspicion but he took the box from her nonetheless. After a brief pause, he lifted the lid to peer inside. Laceaga stared for a moment in silence before realization dawned over him. His lip curled in disdain.”

“What’s this?!” he repeated in a hiss.

“You don’t like it?” she asked innocently, tilting her head to the side.

“...You are lucky that I have to go out on my patrol now, Rabbit.”

“There’s the pity.” she smirked.

Laceaga left quickly, dropping the box unceremoniously on the floor, irritation hanging over him like a cloud. She smirked even wider as he left, satisfaction welling up within her. Riala smiled down at her gift before laughing.

Guess he didn’t appreciate the Harper’s Nettle.


End file.
